Co-op FAQs
Microsoft Co-op questions, answered properly
Why claims get rejected, which costs Microsoft will not pay for, and what the current programme names actually mean.
Claim rejections
Most rejections are not about the activity itself. They are about evidence, timing and the category the claim was filed under.
- Why do Microsoft Co-op claims get rejected?
- The usual reasons are missing or weak proof of execution, activity that does not match the approved activity type, invoices that do not clearly separate eligible from ineligible costs, claims submitted after the deadline, and Microsoft branding used incorrectly. Almost all of it is preventable at brief stage rather than at claim stage.
- What counts as acceptable proof of execution?
- Dated evidence that ties the spend to the activity: a third party invoice showing the supplier, the activity and the amount, plus artefacts such as screenshots of the live campaign, landing page URLs, email sends, event agendas, attendee or registration numbers and reporting on results. Internal spreadsheets on their own are not enough.
- Can a rejected claim be appealed or resubmitted?
- Sometimes, if the claim period is still open and the reason was a documentation gap rather than an ineligible activity. Fix the specific issue Microsoft cited, attach the missing evidence and resubmit before the deadline. Once the claim window closes, the funds are lost.
- How late can we claim?
- Claim windows close a fixed period after the activity, and they close hard. Treat the claim deadline as part of the campaign plan, not as an admin task at the end, and file as soon as the evidence pack is complete rather than batching claims at year end.
- Does the invoice have to be in our company name?
- Yes. The invoice must be issued to the partner entity that earned the funds, from a genuine third party supplier, and it must show the activity clearly enough for a reviewer to match it to the claim. Internal cost recharges and unspecified 'marketing services' lines are the two fastest routes to a rejection.
Prohibited costs
The prohibited list is broader than most teams expect, and it tightened again for FY27. If an item is not clearly demand generating, assume it needs checking first.
- What costs are not claimable?
- Internal staff time and salaries, entertainment, alcohol, gifts, prize draws, charitable donations, travel and accommodation for your own team, general business overheads, hardware and software for internal use, and anything that cannot be evidenced as marketing activity. Sales commissions and discounts to end customers are also out.
- Are branded merchandise and giveaways allowed?
- Promotional items are heavily restricted and often disallowed outright. Where any allowance exists it is usually capped, must be tied to a specific demand generation activity and must follow Microsoft brand rules. Do not plan a campaign that depends on merchandise being approved.
- Can we claim for events and hospitality?
- The marketing element of an event is generally claimable: venue, production, content, promotion and lead capture. The hospitality element is not. Food and drink is capped or excluded depending on the programme, and entertainment such as sporting tickets or activity days is prohibited.
- Can Co-op pay for an in-house marketer?
- No. Co-op funds third party marketing execution, not your own payroll. Agency and freelance work delivered by an external supplier and invoiced properly is the correct route.
- What about tools, subscriptions and websites?
- Ongoing platform subscriptions and general IT are treated as overhead and are not claimable. Campaign specific assets such as landing pages, content production and paid media are usually fine when they promote Microsoft solutions and carry the correct branding.
The new programme names
Microsoft has renamed a lot of this in recent years, and old names still circulate internally. Here is what maps to what.
- What is the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program?
- It is the current name for the overall partner programme, replacing the Microsoft Partner Network. Partner status is expressed through solution area designations and specialisations rather than the old Gold and Silver competencies.
- What are the six solution areas?
- Data and AI, Digital and App Innovation, Infrastructure, Security, Modern Work and Business Applications. Funding, designations and incentive allocations are increasingly organised around these areas, so a claim that is not clearly attached to one is harder to defend.
- What is the difference between Co-op and MDF?
- Co-op is earned as a percentage of eligible revenue through incentive programmes and is spent against the published activity rules. MDF is proposal based: you submit a plan, Microsoft approves it, and funds release against proof of execution. Both need evidence, but MDF also needs approval up front.
- What happened to Gold and Silver competencies?
- They were retired and replaced with solution area designations, earned through a capability score covering performance, skilling and customer success. Specialisations sit above designations as a deeper, audited proof point in a specific area.
- Where do incentives sit now?
- Incentive earnings are administered through Microsoft's commerce incentives structure and reported in Partner Center. The practical point for marketing is that the earning mechanism, the eligible activity list and the claim process are three separate sets of rules, and a plan needs to satisfy all three.